Locking device for a lid

ABSTRACT

A locking device for a lid used with a transporting container that comprises a first half-shell, a second half-shell, and a pivoting bracket proximate the first half-shell and the second half-shell. The locking device further comprises a hinge-joint that includes a first hinge-joint portion at which the first half-shell is attached and a second hinge-joint portion at which the second half-shell is attached, where the second hinge-joint portion is retaining the pivoting bracket at the second half-shell. The locking device also comprises a locking spring that is arranged at the first hinge-joint portion and that co-operates with a first bracket arm of the pivoting bracket, the first bracket arm being arranged opposite to a second bracket arm retained by the second hinge-joint portion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Patent Application Nos. 10 2009 013 783.1, filed Mar. 18, 2009, and 10 2009 018 658.1, filed Apr. 23, 2009, which are both hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a locking device for a lid (also referred to herein as a lid locking device) used, for example, with a transporting container.

A generic locking device for a lid used with a transporting container requires enhancement in that the opened lid of the transporting container may inadvertently close due to an insufficient locking mechanism when loading and unloading the container, which results in a risk of injury.

It is therefore an object underlying the present disclosure to provide a locking device for a lid used with a transporting container that enables a reliable arrest of the opened lid.

The lid locking device of the present disclosure provides a flexible locking spring at the bottom of one of the hinge-joint portions and enables therewith that a bracket member or arm is guided to, and retained at, a locking position corresponding to the opened position of the lid by this locking spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further details, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be evident from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a locking device for a lid.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along the lines I-I in FIG. 1 of a partially cut-away side view of the locking device.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view along the lines I-I in FIG. 1 of a side view of the locking device.

FIG. 4 shows an elevational view of a second hinge-joint portion of another embodiment of the locking device.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the second hinge-joint portion of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, a perspective view of an embodiment of a lid locking device (or locking device for a lid) 1 is shown. As is discernible from FIG. 1, this lid locking device 1 comprises a first half-shell 2 and a second half-shell 3, which are formed like bowls, as well as a pivoting bracket 4 which is arranged on a bottom portion 2 a of the first half-shell 2 and a bottom portion 3 a of the second half-shell 3. Further, a hinge-joint 5 is arranged at the upper side of the first and second half-shells 2, 3, said hinge-joint comprising a first hinge-joint portion 6 and a second hinge-joint portion 7, the first hinge-joint portion 6 being attached to the first bottom portion 2 a and the second hinge-joint portion 7 being attached to the second bottom portion 3 a.

As is further discernible from FIG. 1, a nose 7 a is formed at the lower side of the second hinge-joint portion 7, said nose protruding toward the bottom portion 3 a of the second half-shell 3 and retaining a second bracket arm 10 of the pivoting bracket 4 pivotally at the face side of the bowl-shaped second half-shell 3.

As is discernible from FIG. 2, a locking spring 8 is attached at the lower side of the first hinge-joint portion 6, which spring comprises a substantially V-shaped flexible retainer portion 12 which is arranged between a first fixing portion 13 and a second fixing portion 14, at which portions the locking spring 8 is attached to the first hinge-joint portion 6. As is further discernible from FIG. 2, two drain bevels 11 protrude from the bottom portion 2 a of the first half-shell 2 toward the inside of the first half-shell 2, wherein only one drain bevel 11 is visible in this cut depiction.

With reference to FIG. 3, the function of the lid locking device 1 is described as follows. Whereas FIG. 1 shows a closed position of the hinge-joint 5, FIG. 3 shows a position of the lid locking device 1 in which the second hinge-joint portion 7 and the second half-shell 3 attached thereto are pivoted counter-clockwise by an angle of at least 90° from the horizontal (i.e., closed) position of the hinge-joint 5 shown in FIG. 1. In the opening position of the lid locking device 1 shown in FIG. 3, a first bracket arm 9 of the pivoting bracket 4 is positioned and locked between the bottom portion 2 a of the first half-shell 2 and the retainer portion 12 of the locking spring 8.

When closing the lid of the transporting container (i.e., pivoting back the joint-hinge portions 6, 7 to the position shown in FIG. 1), the second bracket arm 10 of the pivoting bracket 4 retained by the nose 7 a of the second hinge-joint portion 7 is pivoted clockwise and downward. Further, the opposite or first bracket arm 9 of the pivoting bracket 4 is pulled from the locked position—between the bottom portion 2 a of the first half-shell 2 and the retainer portion 12 of the locking spring 8—toward the second half-shell 3. Consequently, the bracket arm 9 deforms the flexible retainer portion 12 of the locking spring 8 and moves, during the subsequent course of motion, beyond the drain bevel(s) 11 toward a final position on the bottom portion 2 a, which corresponds to the closed position of the lid locking device 1 shown in FIG. 1.

Accordingly, the locking device for a lid of the present disclosure is thus able to securely lock the lid of a transporting container in an opened position as to prevent the lid from closing inadvertently when loading and unloading the container. When closing the lid of the transporting container, the arrest of the pivoting bracket 4 can be released without any large effort.

Moreover, some embodiments of the present disclosure comprise a locking device for a lid 1 used in a transporting container, comprising a first half-shell 2 and a second half-shell 3, a pivoting bracket 4, a hinge-joint 5 including a first hinge-joint portion 6 at which the first half-shell 2 is attached and a second hinge-joint portion 7 at which the second half-shell 3 is attached, and which pivotally retains the pivoting bracket 4 at the second half-shell 3, wherein a locking spring 8 is arranged at the first hinge-joint portion 6, which spring co-operates with a first bracket arm 9 of the pivoting bracket 4, said first bracket arm being arranged opposite to a second bracket arm 10 retained by the second hinge-joint portion 7.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the locking device 1. Like components are indicated with same reference numerals as in the first embodiment. As can be seen from the elevational view in FIG. 4 of the second hinge-joint portion 7, and the perspective view in FIG. 5, the second hinge-joint portion 7 comprises no nose 7 a for retaining the second bracket arm 10 of the pivoting bracket 4 at the bottom portion 3 a of the second half-shell 3 in this embodiment of the locking device 1. Instead the second half-shell 3 in this embodiment includes two recesses 15 a and 15 b protruding inwardly at the bottom portion 3 a thereof (see FIG. 5). The front side 19 of the second half-shell 3 forms a first substantially perpendicular wall portion 21 and the recesses 15 a and 15 b form a second wall portion 22, shaped like a segment of a circle, and a third horizontal wall portion 23, respectively.

The second hinge-joint portion 7 located above the second half-shell 3 comprises two recesses 16 a and 16 b that are located to be offset from the recesses 15 a and 15 b in the second half-shell 3. Regarding the plane of the hinge-joint portion 7, these recesses 16 a and 16 b comprise a first wall portion 24 slanting downwardly, a second substantially horizontal wall portion 25 and a third wall portion 26 slanting upwardly, respectively.

The first, second and third wall portion 21, 22 and 23 in the bottom portion 3 a of the second half-shell 3 and the first, second and third wall portion 24, 25 and 26 of the recesses 16 a and 16 b in the second hinge-joint portion 7 form a receiving space 20 in which the second bracket arm 10 of the pivoting bracket 4 is retained stationary and rotatably. The before described configuration of the second half-shell 3 can be combined with the first half-shell 2 described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 could additionally, or alternatively, include the nose 7 a of FIGS. 1-3 for retaining the second bracket arm 10 if so desired.

The locking device of the present disclosure may include the following concepts:

-   -   A. A locking device for a lid (1) used in a transporting         container, comprising a first half-shell (2) and a second         half-shell (3); a pivoting bracket (4); a hinge-joint (5)         including a first hinge-joint portion (6) at which the first         half-shell (2) is attached and a second hinge-joint portion (7)         at which the second half-shell (3) is attached, and which         pivotally retains the pivoting bracket (4) at the second         half-shell (3); characterized in that a locking spring (8) is         arranged at the first hinge-joint portion (6), which spring         co-operates with a first bracket arm (9) of the pivoting bracket         (4), said first bracket arm being arranged opposite to a second         bracket arm (10) retained by the second hinge-joint portion (7).     -   B. The locking device for a lid according to paragraph A,         characterized in that the locking spring (8) comprises a         substantially V-shaped, flexible retainer portion (12).     -   C. The locking device for a lid according to paragraph B,         characterized in that the retainer portion (12) is arranged         between a first fixing portion (13) and a second fixing portion         (14).     -   D. The locking device for a lid according to paragraphs A or B,         characterized in that two inwardly protruding drain bevels (11)         are formed in the bottom portion (2 a) of the first half-shell         (2).     -   E. The locking device for a lid according to paragraph A or B,         characterized in that two inwardly protruding recesses (15 a, 15         b) are formed in the bottom portion (3 a) of the second         half-shell (3).     -   F. The locking device for a lid according to paragraph E,         characterized in that two recesses (16 a, 16 b) are formed at         the second hinge-joint portion (7), including wall portions (24,         25, 26) that pivotally retain the second bracket arm (10) of the         pivoting bracket (4) at the bottom portion (3 a) of the second         half-shell (3) along with wall portions (21, 22, 23) between the         recesses (15 a, 15 b) and a front side (19) of the second         half-shell (3). 

1. A locking device for a lid used with a transporting container, comprising: a first half-shell and a second half-shell, a pivoting bracket proximate the first half-shell and the second half-shell, a hinge-joint including a first hinge-joint portion at which the first half-shell is attached and a second hinge-joint portion at which the second half-shell is attached, the second hinge-joint portion retaining the pivoting bracket at the second half-shell, and a locking spring that is arranged at the first hinge-joint portion and that co-operates with a first bracket arm of the pivoting bracket, the first bracket arm being arranged opposite to a second bracket arm of the pivoting bracket retained by the second hinge-joint portion.
 2. The locking device of claim 1, wherein the locking spring comprises a substantially V-shaped, flexible retainer portion.
 3. The locking device of claim 2, wherein the retainer portion is arranged between a first fixing portion of the first hinge-joint portion and a second fixing portion of the first hinge-joint portion.
 4. The locking device of claim 1, wherein at least one inwardly protruding drain bevel is formed in the bottom portion of the first half-shell.
 5. The locking device of claim 2, wherein two inwardly protruding drain bevels are formed in the bottom portion of the first half-shell.
 6. The locking device of claim 1, wherein two inwardly protruding recesses are formed in the bottom portion of the second half-shell.
 7. The locking device of claim 6, wherein two second hinge-joint portion recesses are formed at the second hinge-joint portion that include wall portions that pivotally retain the second bracket arm of the pivoting bracket at the bottom portion of the second half-shell in conjunction with wall portions formed by the two inwardly protruding recesses, and a front side of the second half-shell.
 8. A locking device for a lid used with a transporting container, comprising: a first half-shell and a second half-shell, a pivoting bracket proximate the first half-shell and the second half-shell, a hinge-joint including a first hinge-joint portion at which the first half-shell is attached and a second hinge-joint portion at which the second half-shell is attached, and a locking spring that is arranged at the first hinge-joint portion and that co-operates with a first bracket arm of the pivoting bracket, the first bracket arm being arranged opposite to a second bracket arm of the pivoting bracket retained by the second hinge-joint portion, wherein the locking spring comprises a flexible retainer portion that retains the first bracket arm when the locking device is in a retained position.
 9. The locking device of claim 8, wherein the second-half shell is substantially perpendicular to the first half-shell in the retained position.
 10. The locking device of claim 9, wherein the pivoting bracket retains the second-half shell substantially perpendicular to the first half-shell in the retained position.
 11. The locking device of claim 10, wherein the first-half shell, the second-half shell, and the pivoting bracket are substantially planar in an un-retained position.
 12. The locking device of claim 11, wherein the second bracket arm is retained by a nose of the second hinge-joint portion in the retained position and is pivotable to the un-retained position.
 13. The locking device of claim 8, wherein the flexible retainer portion of the locking spring flexes to release the first bracket arm from the retained position.
 14. The locking device of claim 8, wherein the flexible retainer portion of the locking spring is substantially curved.
 15. The locking device of claim 8, wherein the flexible retainer portion of the locking spring is substantially U-shaped.
 16. The locking device of claim 11, wherein the second bracket arm is retained in a receiving space formed between wall portions of the second hinge joint-portion and wall portions of the second half-shell.
 17. The locking device of claim 16, wherein the wall portions of the second hinge-joint portion are formed by a recess of the second hinge-joint portion.
 18. The locking device of claim 16, wherein the wall portions of the second half-shell are formed by an inwardly protruding recess formed in a bottom portion of the second half-shell.
 19. The locking device of claim 18, wherein the wall portions of the second half-shell comprise a first portion formed from a front side of the second half-shell.
 20. The locking device of claim 19, wherein the wall portions of the second half-shell further comprise a semicircular portion formed by the inwardly protruding recess. 